Access Communications Taps Into TRLabs

March 30, 2004 -- Regina, SK - Saskatchewan's largest not-for-profit cable service provider has joined TRLabs to support the province's information and communications technology (ICT) development. Access Communications Co-operative Limited will acquire access to highly skilled graduate students and innovative new technologies produced by the TRLabs ICT research program.

"Our partnership with TRLabs will bring us many advantages: leveraging research and development funds, training for our existing staff, recruiting the brightest graduates, and developing economic spin-offs in our community," said Jim Deane, Access' President and CEO. "We can work together to bridge the academic and business worlds, and develop innovative solutions for our mutual benefit."

Access Communications is TRLabs' first Senior Enterprise Associate member. The program is designed for mid-sized companies, and features support for one graduate student scholarship in the name of the company in addition to technology and graduate student access afforded with Enterprise Associate membership.

"Access Communications offers TRLabs a window into a world of technology convergence with the ever-changing shaping of words, images and sounds into the digital games, programs, movies, and Internet applications we know as 'content'," said Director Saskatchewan Operations David Milne. "We look forward to working with Access on Digital Media content-enabling technology creation in support of recent conversion of our Regina lab to a Digital Media research facility."

TRLabs President and CEO Roger Pederson noted the continuing transition of the ICT industry from one that merely enables Internet access to one that fills increasingly broadband connectivity with the dynamic applications and content people find compelling and productive. "Digital Media, as a tool that improves sensory reception and interpretation of information, is a new and job-creating frontier for the ICT industry and for TRLabs. Access' interest in working with TRLabs to develop content-enabling technologies supports the brain power and new technology development needed to support growth of a 'made in Saskatchewan' ICT and Digital Media industry."

About Access Communications Co-operative Limited
(www.accesscomm.ca)
Access Communications Co-operative Limited is the 7th largest cable television provider in Canada. It also provides Internet and Wireless services to subscribers across Saskatchewan.

Access is a 100% Saskatchewan-owned non-profit co-operative with a mandate to reinvest 100 per cent of its profits back into the communities in its service areas. Combined, the telecommunications company has over 400 employees and volunteers serving 30 communities.

Access Communications began in 1974 as the Regina Cablevision Co-operative and began cablecasting in 1978. Since then it has grown into a province-wide co-operative with revenues of over $45 million annually.

About TRLabs - Saskatchewan
TRLabs Saskatoon (est. 1992) employs 54 researchers and graduate students in the area of network access - research aimed at first and last mile network connectivity.

TRLabs Regina (est. 1996) employs 24 researchers and graduate students in the area of digital media - enabling technologies that improve sensory reception, interpretation and value of information.

TRLabs' success at contributing to the growth of Saskatchewan's ICT industry has included training of 129 Masters and Ph.D. students in Computer and Electrical Engineering, generation of 14 patents issued or filed, and the production of 11 industry-commercialized technologies in the last three years. Graduates remaining in Saskatchewan reached 53% spanning the last three years (30% historically).

TRLabs member partners in Saskatchewan are SaskTel, Critical Telecom, International Road Dynamics, Interactive Tracking Systems (Itracks), SED Systems, SIAST, QCC Communications, Saskatoon Health Region, VCom, and the federal and provincial governments, respectively through Western Economic Diversification Canada and Saskatchewan Industry and Resources.

About TRLabs
TRLabs creates innovative technologies and trains students to enhance ICT expertise and improve Canada's global competitiveness. Labs in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg employ 265. With 58 partner members representing a unique synergy of industry, government, and university, research activities focus on seven strategic areas dedicated to building the network of the future: data networking, home technologies, network access, network systems, digital media, photonics, and wireless communications. In its 17 year existence, TRLabs has trained more than 730 highly skilled university graduates, created 270 technologies adopted for use by companies, and generated 152 patents issued or filed.

About the TRLabs Senior Enterprise Associate Program
The Senior Enterprise Associate Program supports high tech SMEs with annual gross revenue generation of between Cdn $30 million and Cdn $100 million. Members gain access to all TRLabs technologies, facilities and expertise as well as networking and potential partnership opportunities with TRLabs' major industrial sponsors such as Nortel, Samsung, SaskTel, and TELUS. Members gain a priority opportunity to recruit from a highly qualified group of TRLabs graduates. A scholarship in the amount of $12K annually is awarded in the name of the member to a university specified by the member, and can be directed at a research project of interest to the member.

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